Ebony surprises mom with dream restaurant

Since she was just two years old, Ebony Hemsley grew up without her mother physically by her side after Donna migrated to the United States in search of a better life.

One of her mother's biggest dreams back then was to own a restaurant. Years later, that dream came full circle when Ebony secretly opened her very own restaurant and handed it to her mother as a surprise gift.

"I migrated when I was 16 but my mom has been here in the States since I was two years old, so she's been here for like a minute," the 30-year-old told THE STAR.

Ebony, who attended Christiana High School in Manchester, said growing up without her mother was not easy.

"Growing up in Jamaica for me wasn't always easy, because my mom migrated when I was only two years old, so imagine not having both present physically, I used to stay with different family members and when my great grandmother passed it went downhill from there because I was staying with aunts and uncles."

But even through the hardship, something powerful was being planted.

"Mi remember mi used to get up early mornings and make up wood fire fi cook. My grandmother have me a cook from mi a seven so mi grow fi have a passion fi cooking."

When Ebony migrated at 16, she had to restart life.

"When I came here I went back to high school for like a year, started working. After a while I went back to college but had to be balancing college and work."

"My mom was a certified nursing assistant for years before she got pregnant with my brother and then she was going to college, but then she fell sick, couldn't walk for like four years."

Despite everything, Ebony said cooking remained her anchor.

"I've always loved cooking so I started doing cooking videos and posted them and they blew up on social media. On TikTok I have over 62,000 followers so that motivated me. Cooking has always been a part of me since I was a child."

She said the love for Jamaican food in America also pushed her forward.

"Even when I just came to America I was determined to have Jamaican food. Getting spices was always a challenge so that inspired me to make my own seasoning."

"In 2024, I made my own seasoning and it went viral. I supplied a couple of supermarkets in Connecticut where I'm from, market and it sold out in less than a week, over 300 seasonings. I realised people out here are rooting for me and that people love the product because it reminds them of home."

From there, the hustle intensified "After that I even started selling plates where I delivered on weekends because I'll work during the week. It was going so good and the demand was greater so I felt like I needed to take the next step."

"I took a leap of faith and started looking for a place to start my restaurant because I didn't even know where the funds was coming from. I didn't know where it was coming from to get the equipment but I did my research and everything worked out perfectly."

All the while, her mother knew nothing.

"I hid it from my mom because I don't normally announce things until I'm sure."

"It took everything out of me, it took several months just for all the construction work. Because when I got the building, I thought it was like already a restaurant, but it wasn't so the state had me do a change of occupancy."

She recalled endless hurdles.

"I had to go through a lot...including getting an architect and it so happened the one I found he was from Manchester too so he gave me a good deal because others were charging me up to 15,000. After he was done it got approved one day."

Then came the contractors, a process that nearly broke her.

"It was a lot of back and forth dealing with different contractors, electricians, plumbers and workmen."

At her lowest point, Ebony said she almost gave up.

"At one point I felt like I wanted to give up, I felt demotivated at one point working with this electrician who kept giving me the run around and stalling the work and not taking phone calls."

"It was so exhausting that during nights I couldn't sleep, I would be up to like 4 o'clock in the morning and I have work at 5:30 in the morning."

One night, she found herself questioning everything.

"And then one day I drove to Seaside Park, a popular park in Connecticut and started looking in the water and I said, God like, is it worth it?"

"Because I have invested so much into this place and things are not working out when I have these inspections coming up but then I said God is not going to bring me to it If he's not going to bring me through it."

Keeping the secret from her praying mother was painful.

"I have a praying mom because she is a pastor. So she has a powerful like background when it comes to that but then there were days I want to call her but I couldn't because I'm doing this to surprise her."

"I would just cry, cry myself to sleep and wake up in the middle of the night crying. But I overcame, I said I want to see what happens if I don't give up this. Here I am."

When the day finally came to reveal the surprise, emotions overflowed.

"I cried a lot because I didn't expect that reaction from her, I knew she was going to be proud but her response and how she cried made me realise how much of a milestone it was."

Today, Ebony's 876Kitchen is already drawing massive attention. She says her all-purpose seasoning is flying off shelves.

"I only have one season on the market right now, it's an all purpose season. I call it Ebony's 876Kitchen seasoning. It's currently in one supermarket, which is the main food market that most Caribbean people go to, international market here in Bridgeport where I reside. I also have an online website in case people outside Connecticut want to order online."

"One of my viral dishes and what people keep on requesting is the Rasta pasta with the chili salmon and also escoveitch fish platter. I have people like even from New Jersey that used to try to meet me in Connecticut just to pick up food on Saturdays."

And after the viral video showing her mother's excitement, the buzz exploded.

"Everyone is saying they're coming. A lot of people are saying they don't care how far it is they will be flying out just for my mom. They love to see Jamaicans winning in America, knowing how it is here."

"I know the grand opening in March is going to be big."

Looking back, she laughs at how much she's tried.

"Someone was talking about me the other day and said 'the only thing weh Ebony nuh do is open one Car Mart.'"

She said, "I burst out laughing because it's true, I've done it all."

But cooking always pulled her back.

"I've tried it all and it always rolls me back to cooking. So I just stick to that and then here I am."

Despite her success abroad, Ebony hasn't forgotten home.

"I came back to Jamaica last year to have a treat at Christiana High. It was a huge success and I reached out to D'Angel who came and performed for free. I am looking forward to doing it annually."